The present invention relates generally to seed and fertilizer implements and more specifically to a coupling for securing seed or fertilizer hoses to the discharge end of a metering or distribution device and for connecting ends of hoses together.
In a conventional seeding or fertilizing implement, hopper structure opens into a flanged output portion of metering device which in turn is connected to a flexible hose which directs the material being metered to a groundworking tool such as a disk or hoe opener. In an air seeder or drill, a relatively long length of hose is connected to a flanged output of a distributor to deliver material to the opener. Typically the hose includes a flared end which is positioned over the flange and is held by a metal band or other clamping arrangement. In another type of arrangement, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,089, a corrugation of the flexible tube is positioned over the flange to hold the tube in position. In still another arrangement, such as exemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,861,527, a rod-like member encircles the portion of the hose and meshes with the corrugated walls. The rod-like member is clipped to a portion of the implement to support the tube.
The previous devices for attaching the hoses all suffer from one or more disadvantages. The flared hoses must be manufactured to size and are expensive to fabricate, and the hoses having corrugations stretched over flanges are difficult to mount and remove and require well-defined end portions. Both of these types of construction are not easily repaired. The metal clamps and rod-like clamps are subject to corrosion and deformation, and the hoses tend to wear prematurely adjacent the clamp.